


Burning Red

by hanaki



Category: Code Vein (Video Game)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Blood Drinking, Blood Sharing, Claiming Bites, F/M, Jealousy, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mutual Pining, Possessive Behavior
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-26 04:13:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 13,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21697498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanaki/pseuds/hanaki
Summary: In which Louis is an alpha revenant, and he can only maintain his composure for so long.
Relationships: Louis/Protagonist (Code Vein)
Comments: 33
Kudos: 375





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is a canon divergence obviously. Not just because of the ABO; I actually haven't even finished the game yet so I don't know the full story. I'm about halfway through, and I decided this fic needed to happen before I finish. This will be short; 2 or 3 chapters at most. 
> 
> The protagonist will be an unnamed female.

His eyes flickered red when he first took off his mask in the ruins.

It was a small, inconsequential moment that passed in the blink of an eye—there were other more pressing matters at the time. Whoever she was…wherever she was, she was in danger. There were creatures everywhere. The Lost, they called them.

After Oliver’s mask had been damaged, she was certain she would die. It was sheer muscle memory that kept her alive, reacting to attacks before she even had time to think.

When did she learn how to swing a sword so powerfully?

Surely it wasn’t sustainable, and even if it were…she had yet to find any Blood Beads. The outlook of the mission grew more and more dismal, even as _something_ kept her going. Some instinct she couldn’t quite pinpoint. Survival, she had assumed at the time.

Then she met Louis.

The world seemed to shift as he shook her hand, honoring his word not to stab her in the back as they made their way through the ruins together. There was so much that she didn’t understand still, but being by his side…

“We’ll figure it out together,” he had promised after watching her restore a dried up bloodspring, seemingly just as awed as she was by her actions.

It wasn’t until she was lying down back at his base that she was certain she hadn’t imagined the whole thing. She saw it again—his eyes, burning red as she laid there.

What did it all _mean?_ Her powers. His eyes. The chaos happening all around them.

Strange. A rush of anxiety seemed to hit her every time she tried to answer any of those questions, but the memory of those eyes quelled it every time she closed her eyes and saw them again. Louis had told her to get some rest after taking a blood sample, but she couldn’t even manage that.

“It’s normal not to remember everything,” Louis had tried to assure her, explaining a bit more about what they were. Revenants. Apparently she had died at some point—probably more than once. So long as her heart remained intact though, she would keep returning. “This is how the world works now.”

It was his steady tone that lulled her to sleep as she replayed that conversation in her mind again, and his red eyes filling her dreams.

\--

Polite, yet imposing. Kind, yet insistent.

There was no doubt in her mind who the leader was in their little base, even if Louis wasn’t the type to flaunt his authority. Somehow that just made him stand out even _more_ as she familiarized herself with the place. Both she and Io agreed—this base was a nice home, filled with nice revenants. They were lucky fate had seen fit to send Louis their way.

“You’re staring again,” Coco noted, winking before she could deny it. “I get it—he’s charming, isn’t he?”

She nodded before she meant to. “There’s something about him.”

“He’s certainly the alpha around here.”

“What do you mean alpha?”

Coco stared at her for a long moment, curious and then outright sympathetic. “You really don’t remember, do you?”

“Remember _what?”_

“How it works around here. It’s his blood—we’re all revenants, but we’re not all the same.”

“We have different blood codes,” she remembered, already having heard as much from Louis. “Is that what you mean?”

“To an extent. There’s more to it than our physical abilities though. Yes, we have different blood codes, but we also have different blood _types.”_

“Like humans?”

“Not even close,” Coco laughed softly. “More like animals. We’re predators, in a lot of ways. Blood sustains us, and so we crave it. Our blood type determines how _much_ we crave though—it sets us apart from one another.”

“It won’t matter if we find the source—we can make sure blood beads are available for all revenants.”

“Louis will always crave more than his share. It’s the alpha inside him. Yakumo, too.”

She blinked several times, not quite understanding. “What do you mean?”

“There are three blood types a revenant can be—A, B, and O. Louis could tell you the technical term for each, but the rest of us keep it simple. Alpha, beta, and omega. Most of us are type B—myself included.”

“And Louis is…type A?”

“Yep. He hides it well, but if you look close enough, you’ll see it. The bloodlust is barely below the surface with him. He never has an easy day.”

She swallowed hard, not quite ready to chance a glance in his direction just yet. Last she saw, he was just reading at a desk covered in books the same way he did most days since she arrived here. If anything, he looked like he was on the brink of a breakthrough in his research—not on the brink of losing control. Louis was always calm, cool, and collected.

“How do I know what my type is? Is that why he took a blood sample from me?”

Coco laughed again, smiling apologetically as it tapered off. “He didn’t need a sample to know. You’re type O.”

“How can you tell?”

“Because I’ve seen the way he looks at you. It’s like he wants to devour you.”

“I thought revenants couldn’t sustain each other.”

“Most can’t. They say type O’s are the exception—the rarist of us all. Louis explained it to me once. It has something to do with needing less blood than the rest of us. You’re closer to being human than you are to being a monster.”

The implication hung in the air, and she finally caved into the temptation to look. Louis was still at his desk, flipping the page of his text as if it was just another day—as if he were completely unaware of their conversation. A slight furrow in his brow was the only indication anything was amiss, but it could have just been concentration.

Something wasn’t right. Louis…There was no way he was closer to being a monster than he was to being human.

\--

He was fast—much faster than she was, and the way he swung his sword made her question how she ever believed her own swing was powerful. The way he maneuvered through each and every battle was mesmerizing, even to her untrained eye. It was almost like a dance, and he was performing it just for her.

It wasn’t until she had restored another mistle and they were resting that the awe really caught up to her. This man was remarkable.

“Have you gotten used to partnering up with me?” Louis asked her, his smile kind even as he caught her outright staring at him. They had already taken off their masks, enjoying the untainted air while they could.

“Not quite,” she admitted, laughing softly at his curious expression. “Every time I think I have, you do something impossible.”

Louis frowned. “What do you mean impossible?”

“That last move!”

He blinked a few times, his spare hand on the back of his neck. “I thought Coco went over it with you?”

“She told me some things, but I didn’t believe it all.”

“She’s known for embellishing, but the essence of it is true. Revenants have different blood types—mine enables me to do things that other revenants wouldn’t be able to manage.”

“You’re stronger.”

“Yes. I’m quicker, and most revenants wouldn’t be able to keep up with my reflexes. My senses are heightened, too—I can see more clearly. I can hear the sound of a Lost breathing up ahead, waiting for an unsuspecting victim to walk by.”

“What else?”

“I can hear the blood in your veins. I can _smell_ it from across the room. It’s sweet, like—“ Louis cut himself off as the blush began to spread on her face, looking sincere in his quick apology. “I don’t want you to be uncomfortable around me.”

“I’m not. I trust you, Louis.”

“I heard Coco when she explained it to you. Most of what goes on back in the base doesn’t escape me.”

“Oh.”

“Are you going to ask, then? If it’s true?”

“You’re not a monster,” she said, sure of that much.

He smiled faintly. “You wouldn’t say that if you knew the things I want to do to you.”

“…Like what?”

“Omega blood is a rarity, far more uncommon than even human blood. Being around you…” He shook his head, letting out an uncharacteristically ragged breath. “Her words weren’t wrong.”

She paused, letting those words replay in her mind. Weeks had passed, and they had been venturing out into the ruins every few days to try to track down the source. Louis hadn’t so much as looked at her the wrong way all the while though, and he was by her side nearly every time she stepped foot outside.

_He wants to devour you._

Did he though? Looking at him now, he looked a bit more uncomfortable than usual—his brow was furrowed, and his eyes strained with an emotion she couldn’t quite pinpoint. There was no bloodlust to be seen, that much she knew. His eyes hadn’t flickered red even once since that first day they met.

“It’s my blood type,” Louis told her slowly. “I’ll always want something from you that I shouldn’t.”

“My blood?”

“Among other things. Tell me, how much do you recall of your time as a revenant before your latest return?”

“Nothing,” she admitted, shaking her head slowly. It should have made her sad, but honestly, how could she mourn a memory that she didn’t have? If anything, she felt numb to it. Vacant. “All I know is what’s happened since. I know _you_ , Louis. You’d never hurt me.”

“I wouldn’t,” he agreed easily. “The same couldn’t be said of all type A’s. You’re more tempting than a blood bead.”

“Yakumo doesn’t seem to be bothered by me.”

“He’s a man of more control than most. He lives by his own personal code—he’s loyal to a fault.”

Yes, he was. Yakumo wouldn’t harm a friend even if that friend betrayed him first. Not many men could say the same. It was something she admired dearly about him, even if it was frustrating at times.

A low rumble from Louis had her snapping out of her thoughts, eyes widening in surprise. “Are you okay?”

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, raking a hand through his hair. “I don’t know where that came from.”

“You…” Growled. There was no other way to describe the sound he had made, his eyes locked on her all the while. “Louis?”

“Forget it. We should carry on now, if your curiosity has been sated. I’ll let Coco explain the rest back at base.”

His mask was back on his face before she could protest, both figuratively and literally. She took one last deep breath of the fresh air before putting her own back on, wishing she could let out the drawn-out sigh building inside her.

Just when she thought they were having a breakthrough, he was back to business.

\--

Omegas were weak, apparently.

While alpha blood heightened their senses and abilities, it seemed her own blood really didn’t do much for her at all. As Coco explained, she may as well have been human still in a lot of ways—it was really the inconvenient things that set her apart.

She still needed to wear a mask to protect herself in the miasma, like other revenants. She would keep coming back if she were defeated, so long as her heart remained intact. She didn’t need to eat to be sated; instead she required blood. Significantly less than the others, but there was still an itch under her skin if she tried to wait to long between blood beads.

The added abilities, though? She barely had any of those when compared to the others. Not that it stopped her from trying.

“You’re actually remarkable,” their newest companion, Mia, told her. “I’ve never met an omega who can fight like you.”

“I can’t just sit back and let everyone else protect me.”

Her swings weren’t as powerful and her movements weren’t as quick, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t hold her own in a fight. That much she had proven time and time again, her instincts guiding her even when Yakumo or Louis were shouting at her to fall back so they could handle it.

The Lost were mindless. So long as she kept her own wits about her, she could react before they hit her—and they _always_ tried. No matter how much Louis tried to draw their attention away, or how much Yakumo tried to provoke them, they always seemed to focus on getting to her.

Normally it didn’t bother her. Instead it forced her to grow—to practice more often during their down time so she could do better as they ventured further and further. It wasn’t like she could sit back and let the others do all the work when she was apparently the key to their mission.

They started going out with her as a group after a while. One or two wasn’t enough as things became more challenging. It wasn’t until they were back at the base after a particularly difficult mission that it all seemed to boil over.

She’d only gotten hit once. A small wound to her arm—nothing serious. It was already healing before they got back to base, but that meant very little to the two alphas in their group. Even the betas seemed to be affected by the tension between the two, making themselves scarce as soon as they got home. For her own part, she went to one of the rooms to lie down. It had been a long, long mission.

Even she could hear it though. The sound of the two alphas bickering by the couches.

Yakumo seemed to snap first. “It’s not safe for her to keep going out like this! The Lost can smell her just as well as we can.”

“I can protect her,” Louis insisted, calm as ever.

“Don’t be overconfident!” Yakumo huffed. “Even you aren’t that quick if there’s a whole horde of them.”

“I’m quick enough.”

“You need to scent her.”

“It’s not your decision to make.”

“No? Maybe I should do it myself then,” Yakumo said, and _wow_ if she thought Louis growled that one time, she was mistaken. The sound he made had her legs weak, suddenly grateful that she was already lying down. “Oh, now you care? You didn’t seem to mind when the Lost were trying to cut her down.”

“Did you forget already? I was the one who took them down.”

“Because the smell of her blood sent you into a haze. You’re going to rut soon, aren’t you?”

“It’s not your business.”

“It is if it’s gonna affect my friends. Are you going to ask her?”

“Ask her _what?”_

“To help, obviously. I’ve seen the way she looks at you. She’ll let you.”

“She has no memories,” Louis said, the fight in his voice dying just a little. There were a few more words, but she couldn’t quite hear him no matter how desperately she tried. “I won’t take that away from her.”

“Just because she _might_ have had someone in the past doesn’t mean she doesn’t want you now.”

_Oh._ The thought had never crossed her mind, truly. Sure, she had wondered who she was—where she came from. The idea of having some long-lost lover, though? It was of little interest to her. Something told her that was because she hadn’t, but there was no way to be sure.

What mattered now was _them._ Louis, and his mission. His vision for the world was one she admired, and one she wanted to help fulfill. It was thanks to him that she had some sense of purpose, and she wouldn’t let that go easily.

“I’m gonna go check on her,” Yakumo decided with a sigh, walking off before Louis could respond. She wished she could see him now—the lack of any comeback was telling, and she could just imagine Louis sitting there stuck in his own thoughts. “Hey.”

Yakumo knocked on her door despite it being open, letting himself inside. “How ya feeling?”

“It was a surface wound,” she reminded him, staring up at the ceiling and praying that Louis was listening. “I’m fine.”

“I figured. You’re pretty strong, you know? I’ve never met another revenant like you.”

“Another omega, you mean.”

“I didn’t say that. Not all omegas are weak.”

No, but she _did_ have to work twice as hard to keep up with them. She sat up, looking at him curiously. “Do the Lost really target me for my blood?”

“Ah,” Yakumo kicked at the air, hand on the back of his neck. “You heard all that?”

“It’s not like you were being quiet.”

“I guess bickering alphas don’t know how to keep it down, huh?” He chuckled at himself, giving her an apologetic look. “Louis’ a good guy. I didn’t mean to go off at him like that.”

“I know.” There were very few people Yakumo respected more, in fact. The guy had been suspicious of her arrival for _days_ until Louis told him to get over it and accept her into their little pack. “I thought the Lost were mindless.”

“They are, but it’s instinct. Revenant, human—they don’t care the way that we do. They’ll attack anything that moves. Your scent though,” he explained, raising a brow as he eyed her. “It’s like a beacon. They’ll always try to get you first.”

“But there’s a way to mark me? To conceal it?”

Yakumo’s eyes went wide, and he coughed uncomfortably. “Forget about that.”

“My back attack is more powerful than any of my other moves,” she insisted. “If we can mask my scent so that I can sneak around more—”

“It’s not that easy.”

“But it was your idea. Maybe if Louis won’t, you could.”

“It’s not like I just brand you, okay? It’s more personal.”

“Like what?”

“The only way to mask an omega’s scent would be to cover it in an alpha’s.”

“How do you do that?”

“From the inside out,” Yakumo told her, and while alphas didn’t blush the way that she sometimes did, she could read the embarrassment on his face. “It’d have to be Louis.”

“Why? We’re friends, too.”

“This is beyond friendship. If you knew what it entailed, you’d agree—I see how you look at him.”

“You were the one who said it though,” she reminded him.

“I was trying to push him to get over it.”

“What’s a rut?”

“Jeez, you really don’t know when to back down, do you?”

“How can I help him if I don’t know what it is?” she countered. “Tell me, Yakumo.”

He let out a sigh, moving over to the bed and taking a seat on the edge. “Alphas need more blood than the average revenant. That’s why we’re so specific about rationing here—we know we’ll run out if we aren’t careful.”

Right. Sometimes they stretched it to the last minute, trying not to take more than their ‘fair share’ even if they clearly needed more than the others. Once or twice she had skipped her own, just to make sure there was an extra for Louis or Yakumo. If they knew, they never said anything.

“You know what happens if the blood lust gets too strong.”

“Frenzy.”

“Right. For alphas though, there’s two types of frenzy,” Yakumo explained. “If we don’t get enough blood regularly, we end up in blood lust and eventually frenzy like everyone else.”

Then they become Lost. She shuddered at the thought, her eyes willing him to continue his explanation.

“Alphas also require blood directly from the source, so to speak. Not as often—beads usually hold us over, but every few months it just doesn’t cut it anymore.”

“What do you do, then?”

“We usually go to one of the shelters. There are humans who sign up to donate blood,” Yakumo explained carefully. “Instead of putting it in a bag, they let us tap it right from the source.”

“Oh?”

“Yeah. It’s, uh…well, it’s a different experience than drinking it from a blood bead, that’s for sure.”

“I’d let you drink from me if you needed it,” she decided easily, frowning at his surprised expression. “Is that strange?”

“No, it’s just you’ve never taken it from the source, have you?”

“Well, no.”

“It’s kind of…intimate. It actually feels really nice,” he told her slowly. “Too nice, sometimes. For an alpha who’s rutting, it’s not always enough.”

“They try to take too much?”

“Among other things.”

She frowned. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“It’s pleasurable, okay? Physically, for both sides. It’s impossible for an alpha not to want more in that moment. You’ll see soon enough—omegas end up in the same cycle, just not as often. You need less blood to get by, but eventually it’ll hit you. Except it won’t be human blood you crave.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’ll be the revenant side of you demanding more. You’ll crave revenant blood.”

“Alpha blood?”

“Not necessarily, but you’re not gonna find a better match. Our blood’s more potent than the average revenant. When you’re in that haze, it’ll be all you can think about until you get it. They call it a heat.”

She raised a brow, not sure she wanted to know _why._ The term wasn’t unfamiliar to her—in the animal world, a heat was akin to mating season. She was pretty sure revenants couldn’t reproduce though, so the parallel didn’t make much sense.

“Louis will help you when it happens,” Yakumo promised her, his smile kind.

Would he though? Louis had done so much for her already, but it felt like he drew the line when it came to discussing his nature with her. No matter how close they grew, there was still a wall between them when it came to their instincts. Instead of discussing his own thoughts, he always found a way to keep it clinical; like he was reading it to her from a book.

“The last omega he was close to…Well, you know what happened with Cruz. It’s natural he’s a bit reluctant to take the leap again,” her friend explained slowly. “But he will. He cares about you.”

“Was Cruz an omega?”

“Yep. That was back before we understood all this—blood codes and blood types. She only seemed to want him when she was in the moment, but he wanted her all the time. It was confusing for him. Now he understands though.”

Cruz…the Queen. She and Louis had been involved in some capacity. The thought was unsettling, but she wasn’t so surprised. She had seen the memories. Obviously Louis cared for her a great deal, and it went beyond that of a typical friendship. Cruz’s begging and pleading…it still echoed in her mind when she closed her eyes. That sound had weighed so heavily on Louis. No wonder he couldn’t go through with that mercy kill.

For once, knowing a bit more about Louis didn't bring her any comfort at all. This time it just made her heart ache in a way that reminded her that maybe she really was still human in a lot of ways.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Friendly reminder that this is an AU and the canon is really not a concern of mine. It's not my goal or intention to have things line up perfectly with the canon, it's my goal to have Louis and the main character get together <3
> 
> Somehow this fic has spiraled into 3 chapters, so I'll have more soon. This one is mostly smut, and then the last one will tie it up with some fluff while finishing out what little 'plot' exists in this AU. Louis is a little out of character on/off here, but bear in mind he's not exactly himself for most the chapter. Hope you like it! Thank you for reading!

It was almost impossible to keep any kind of distance from Louis after the day she took that hit, not that she was complaining. He had joked about it once—whether or not she had gotten used to partnering with him. The truth was, she had more than gotten used to it.

There was no one she enjoyed going out with more, even if Louis had been a bit over the top since her ‘injury’. If she had thought his blade dance was something remarkable before, it was on an entirely new level now. ‘Eternal’, he called it, not even denying that there was indeed a difference.

It was as mesmerizing to watch as he was, which was saying a lot given the fact she’d been drawn to him inexplicably from day one.

No doubt he still hadn’t forgiven himself for allowing her to be ‘injured’—he barely even gave her a chance to swing her own sword when they were out now, going full on alpha even on the most mundane outing.

Most days it was endearing. She _liked_ his company, so it worked out for both of them. It was only an issue when there were other, more pressing matters their group’s leader needed to be doing instead.

“Louis,” she started, smiling despite herself as she watched him readying his sword for their latest outing. “You don’t have to come, you know. I can do this one alone.”

“I don’t doubt your competence.”

“You have research to do. This is just a restocking mission.”

Supplies. They were running low on blood beads, and so she was headed to a known spring location to restock. Even these simple missions required her presence, in case the spring had dried out in between visits.

They most certainly didn’t require Louis’ attention though. Not when they were so close, and he needed to finish his research so that they would know where to go next. Something about the idea that he was putting off his own goals just so he could accompany her at all times didn’t set well with her.

“I can ask Yakumo to come along if you’re that worried,” she offered, immediately regretting it when his expression hardened. “Louis?”

“He’s going to one of the shelters today. It’s best you don’t go near him.”

“Shelters?” The word escaped her lips before she could process it, the realization dawning on her. Yakumo had been worried Louis was approaching his rut, but it seemed he had hit his own first. “Will he be okay?”

“We do a lot to support the shelters. They’ll treat him well.”

“I can go with Mia, then,” she tried, too aware of the stacks of books waiting for Louis’ attention at his desk. “It’ll only take an hour.”

“The betas don’t understand,” he explained with a grim expression. “They can’t smell you—they don’t understand the temptation you are. Not like I do.”

Was she really that tempting?

The question was on her tongue, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask. Not when he was staring at her so intently, with his hands balled into fists like he was afraid of what might happen if he relaxed for even a moment.

She swallowed hard, somehow knowing exactly what his answer would have been.

\--

Yakumo had never looked as laid back as he did when he made his big return to the base, the grin on his face broader than she’d ever seen. She waited her turn as everyone bombarded him, laughing along as their friends began to crack jokes.

They all knew _exactly_ what he had been up to, and suddenly she did too in far more explicit terms than necessary. She had guessed as much from Yakumo’s implications when they spoke on the subject, but hearing it put so bluntly by her friends as they gave Yakumo a hard time…

Her eyes swept him up and down curiously, and she knew it was true. Yeah, he had definitely gotten a lot more than some fresh blood while he was at the shelter. He looked better than he had in months.

“Miss me?” Yakumo asked, finally turning his grin on her after taking one last jab from Coco. He slung an arm around her shoulder, pulling her in for a hug before she could answer. “Of course you did!”

“You were only gone for a day.”

“It was a long day!”

She snorted. “Something tells me it wasn’t so bad for you.”

“Well,” he hesitated, just for a moment. “I’m not complaining. How was the bead run?”

“The usual. We shouldn’t have any stock issues for a few weeks now.”

“Awesome. Anything unusual happen?”

“What do you mean?”

He lowered his voice, leaning in closer to her ear. “I was just thinking on my way back, usually Louis woulda—”

“Yakumo” Louis interjected, glancing between the two with a small smile so fake that she barely recognized him for a moment. “Welcome back.”

“Hey, thanks man!” Yakumo removed his arm from her shoulder, wasting no time pulling Louis in for a hug of his own despite the fact he could clearly read the tension suddenly surrounding them. “Any word on the mission?”

“I have our next destination.”

“Yeah? That’s great! When’re we going?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” Louis responded, which was news to her—she thought they were going as soon as Yakumo got back. “Do you mind if I borrow our heroine for a moment?”

Her eyes went wide at the title, nearly too surprised to hear Yakumo joke about how he’d have to think about it. Louis didn’t think it was funny, apparently, and Yakumo was stepping back in a hurry. The next thing she knew, Louis had escorted her to her own room, shutting the door behind them with a tense sigh.

“Louis, what—”

“Do you have any idea what you do to me?”

“I didn’t _do_ anything.”

He raked a hand through his hair, pacing by the door for several minutes in silence. She sat down on the edge of her bed, getting the sense that he needed some space even if the room didn’t offer much.

“I know you didn’t,” he sighed, shaking his head in disappointment. In himself, if she had to guess, which broke her heart a little because he hadn’t done anything wrong. “I don’t like when he touches you.”

“Yakumo?”

“Yes.”

“He’s our friend. It was a hug. Maybe you forgot—he gave you one, too.”

“He’s an alpha, fresh out of his rut. He _smells,_ like sex and—”

“You’re the one with alpha senses, not me. I didn’t smell anything,” she assured him with an uncomfortable chuckle. “It’s not like he’s going to lure me in with it.”

“It’s not about luring you in. He touched you,” Louis explained, almost pathetically now. “Now _you_ smell like that.”

 _Oh._ Louis, to his credit, seemed to understand exactly how petulant he was being. It was like he couldn’t help himself though, and he started pacing once more. His hands were balled into fists again, just like they had been on their last outing.

“Louis…you can relax. Everything’s fine.”

“Do you know what he was trying to ask you? What he thought was _unusual?_ ” She shook her head, more than a little bewildered. “Our ruts run on a cycle. Mine always hits first.”

And this time it hadn’t. She raised a brow, her heartbeat spiking. “Are you okay?”

“I’ve been using an inhibitor to delay it, but it doesn’t seem to be working anymore.”

“Is that safe?”

“Safe, yes,” he laughed, and she got the distinct impression _safety_ was the least of his concerns. “It’s never a good idea to postpone the inevitable.”

She looked him over, and suddenly it all made so much more sense.

No wonder he had seemed more tense than usual lately. The short temper, especially when Yakumo was involved. The way he couldn’t seem to focus on his research for more than half an hour at a time, very unlike his usual self.

No wonder he’d jumped at the chance to tag along with her, even on the most mundane mission. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust her or thought she couldn’t handle herself. He couldn’t fight the compulsion to stay close to her side, regardless of the task.

Even now she could see it—he was trying his damndest to hang onto himself, his hands curled into tight fists. It was like all his composure was balled up there, and if he let go for just a moment it would all slip right through his fingers.

Would it be so bad if he did, she wondered? A shudder tore through her at the thought, knowing _she_ would be the one in his path if that happened right now.

“I’ll have to go to the shelter before the next mission. I don’t want you to go anywhere without me.”

“No,” she said, bringing him to a halt.

Had she ever told him no before? Apparently not, judging by the surprise on his face.

“I haven’t even told you next our destination.”

“That’s not the issue. I’ll always wait for you.”

“Then what—”

“I don’t want you to go to the shelter.”

“We haven’t even talked about this,” Louis muttered, raking his hand through his hair. “Whatever _this_ is.”

It hadn’t been a priority. The mission had always been their top concern, even when their instincts tried to tell them otherwise—when she was distracted by his presence, and he was acting like he didn't notice despite the fact that he _did_. She could see it now, written clear as day on Louis’ face now that his control was slipping away slowly but surely.

Yakumo had been right. None of this was one-sided.

“Louis, please. I want to help you.”

He chuckled, shaking his head right away. “You don’t know what you’re asking for.”

“I do,” she insisted, rising to her feet and taking a step closer to where he stood. He inhaled a sharp breath as she did, motioning for her to stop. She didn’t, of course. “I care about you. I want to help you.”

“I don’t want your _help,_ I want your blood,” he told her, and she could see it now that she was close—he was shaking slightly, on the brink of losing this false composure. “I want more than you should be offering.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that I am,” she told him. “If you wanted to go to the shelter, you would have gone without trying to stall it. You waited for a reason.”

“I didn’t want to lose control while you were nearby; not before the mission was over.”

“So, what? You were hoping to delay it until the mission was over so we could talk about this after?” She watched as he swallowed hard, not confirming or denying her statement. Leave it to their leader to put the mission first, even ahead of his own desires. “Caving into this isn’t a weakness, you know. It may even help the mission.”

Louis laughed at that. “How's that?"

“You haven’t been focused lately, and neither have I. It’s only going to get worse if your rut’s overdue.”

“What’re you saying?”

“I’m saying it’s _okay,_ Louis. I want you, too.”

And just like that, she watched his tightly bound desire snap free. She was in his arms before she could blink, the warmth of his breath gazing her face for just a moment before he found his target.

“Louis,” she gasped, eyes wide as she felt his lips on her neck.

“There’s no coming back from this line.”

“I don’t want to go back. Please.”

One last glance seemed to confirm her certainty, and his look said more than words could. He may not have hit his rut yet, but he had no intention of holding back; not when she was offering herself so readily.

His fingers trailed her collarbone like she was something delicate, his lips lingering on her pulse. A single gasp escaped her as he laid down a single kiss, and another followed when his teeth grazed the same spot. It tickled, almost, and she swore she could feel his grin against her fragile skin.

“Please.”

Another gasp escaped her as his teeth finally sunk into the fragile skin on her neck, going right for the blood he so desperately craved without further delay. She was completely helpless against him, unable to move or do anything at all other than _feel._ It should have been terrifying, honestly, but there was something so damn tender about the way he was holding her steady against his body. Something so sensual about the way his lips were on her skin as he drained her, moaning every few seconds as he finally took what he had wanted from her all along.

“Louis,” she whimpered against him, dizzy from the rush of it all.

Her head was spinning, and she was sure if he weren’t holding her up she would have crumpled to the floor with how weak she was in the knees. It was like every ounce of her blood was on fire in her body, coursing toward that spot at his command. It _burned_ and tingled in all the right ways, until she was panting from the sensation. He may as well have been touching her all over, teasing her body from the inside out as he took his fill.

It wasn’t long before she felt him rocking his hips against her, her very core on fire with anticipation. Fuck. How would it feel, if he were inside her right now? Draining her as he filled her completely?

“You’re as sweet as I expected,” he murmured, slowly withdrawing his fangs. Her surroundings came flooding back to her as she felt his tongue grazing the wound he had created, taking just a bit more as it began to slowly heal. “What I wouldn’t give to have you completely.”

“You can,” she whispered, the words more of a plea. She was already feeling much more coherent, albeit a little lightheaded from the blood loss. “I want you, Louis.”

“I know. I can smell the desire on you,” Louis admitted, eyes dark as they met hers. “I don’t need to touch you to know how wet you are.”

“You say it as if you aren’t in the same situation.” She raised a challenging brow, not ready to forget the feel of his desire pressed against her as he took what he needed. “I thought you’d be more aggressive in this state.”

“I’ve always been more composed than most alphas.” He reached out, brushing a hair from her cheek as he held her gaze. His eyes were still red, though they had lost some of the glow from before the bite. “Your blood has sated me for the time being. I’m still a few hours from losing control completely.”

“What happens then?”

“I won’t be able to focus on anything other than your body—blood and every other ill-conceived idea that’s on your mind right now.”

“Let’s start now, then.”

His eyes flashed red at the suggestion, and she understood. It wasn’t like the first day they met—this flash was the bloodlust brought on by his impending rut and he was trying to give her an out. Leave it to Louis to find a way to cling to that hard-fought composure, right until the last minute.

\--

A 'few hours' quickly became an entire day without word from Louis.

Their friends seemed to know something was up when their leader shut himself in his room without a word when they all knew Louis had the destination for their next mission. It was very unlike the alpha to wait on a mission, especially when they were getting _so close._

Yakumo knew what was up, of course. His ears weren’t quite as sharp as Louis’, but that didn’t mean he didn’t hear enough to know—that he didn’t smell the desire still lingering in the air when he arrived at her room.

“I’d give it another two hours before he snaps,” her friend told her, leaning against her doorframe. “He’ll go with me still if you want me to take him to the shelter.”

“I don’t want that. I just need you to get everyone else out for a while. You included.”

His eyes were dancing at that, and he made no secret of how he sniffed at the air. “Making progress finally?”

“Yes, and I don’t need any distractions. He’s not going to like you stopping by right now.”

“No, I imagine not,” Yakumo grumbled, hand on the back of his neck. “It’s not like I’d try to steal you away. I only said all that shit about scenting you first to wake him up.”

“Consider him awake,” she said, a wave of appreciation hitting her. Yakumo really was a good friend. “I don’t want to give him any reason to change his mind now.”

“Any excuses, you mean. Don’t worry, I’ll get everyone out. It’s been a while since we had a training day as a group.”

“You think they’ll buy that?”

“Not a chance, but they’ll play along anyway. It’s not like they wanna hear you and Louis going at it all night.”

“Yakumo!” Heat rushed to her cheeks, much to his amusement and her dismay. “You don’t have to be so blunt.”

“Do you think he won’t be? He’s not gonna have a filter soon. He’s gonna take your proverbially virginity and—”

“I am _not_ a virgin!”

“In this reborn state you are.”

“I’m pretty sure that’s not how it works.”

“It’s not gonna matter how it works when he’s staking his claim. All his alpha’s gonna see is an unclaimed omega.”

“I don’t need a warning, Yakumo. I know what I’m getting into.”

“Think of it more like a pep talk.”

“I don’t need a pep talk either, I need some privacy.”

He grinned at that, sparing her a single wink before turning on his heel and giving her a wave as he walked off. She was pretty sure she didn’t imagine him telling her to ‘have fun’ when he was halfway down the hall. A few minutes later, there was quite the commotion in the base.

Maybe she wasn’t an alpha and couldn’t hear it all perfectly, but she knew. Yakumo was rounding everyone up, quite loudly, and getting them all far away from her and Louis. The laughter she heard seemed to indicate that he’d been right to guess they would all know what was really up, but that didn’t seem to stop anyone. Within thirty minutes they were all out, off to ‘train’ for their big mission.

She laid on her bed after that, the waiting making her tense. The memory of Louis’ lips on her skin only made her more anxious, wondering when this was really going to happen.

Two hours, Yakumo had guessed. She couldn’t wait _two more hours._ Hadn’t she already weeks and weeks?

She pressed her thighs together, the memory of his bite enough to bring back the ache she’d felt for him. It’d be a lie to say she hadn’t touched herself after that, his muffled moans replaying in her ear. He hadn’t been wrong to say she had been wet, and when he left her like that?

Well, it was his own fault if he had to listen to stifled moans as she finished what he started.

What was he waiting for? It was like he wanted to hang onto his cool, calm, collected demeanor right until the very last second.

That may be who Louis was, but it wasn’t who _she_ was. Omega or not, she was fierce—a force to be reckoned with, and he was going to have to acknowledge that whether he wanted to or not right now.

She hopped out of her bed before she could second guess herself, moving toward his room without delay. She wasn’t expecting his bedroom door to be wide open, like he was the one waiting for her all along.

“Louis?”

He was on her before she could blink, pinning her to the wall next to his door, nosing at her neck with long breaths. So much for calm and collected. His breath was hot against her, fangs descending just enough that she could feel them against her skin.

“You were with Yakumo again,” he accused.

“Louis,” she whimpered, his grip tightening on her waist until it threatened to hurt. There was no squirming away, not that she wanted to. It felt _good,_ the possessive grip doing more for her than she cared to admit. “I was sending him away.”

His answer was a low growl, right in her ear.

“You know I only want you.”

“I heard you moaning my name in your room.”

“It's not like you weren't invited."

She shivered into his embrace, tilting her head willingly to expose more of her neck to him. That was all the invitation he needed this time, biting down with far less restraint than their last encounter.

It stung this time, for just a moment at least. The pleasure was back in waves so soon that she couldn’t think about anything else, her head spinning from the sensation. That same fire was flowing through her as he took what he needed, and she was sure she never wanted it to be put out.

Fuck, it had felt nice last time too, but the memory just wasn’t the same as the moment.

No doubt about it…She loved how it felt. Being held in his arms. Being needed by him. Wanted by him.

“Louis,” she moaned, fingers curling into his vest as his pace began to slow down.

“This is what you wanted, isn’t it?” he whispered, nipping at her neck one last time before meeting her eyes. She wasn’t surprised at all to see them burning red, not yet fully sated. “To give yourself to me?”

“ _Yes.”_

“I’m going to take it. Your blood, your body—I'll take it all.”

His fangs sunk in once more at that, deeper this time. Waves of arousal coursed through her as he drank, and she moaned helplessly as she felt his own arousal pressed against her. This time he wasn’t testing the waters. She was helpless against him as he took and took, but Louis?

He was far from helpless.

His hands were all over her body before she understood what was happening, removing layer by layer of what little clothing she had bothered to wear. His own vest was on the floor before she could blink, and his fangs retreated as he began to unbutton his pants. By the time her eyes were fluttering open, they were on the floor and she was being tossed onto his bed.

Fuck, Louis looked good. Every fiber of his being exuded _alpha_ right now in a way that he wasn’t even trying to contain anymore, and it was doing things to her she hadn't even imagined. If she weren't already aching for him, the sight alone would have had her ready.

She watched in awe as he stripped the last of his clothing, stalking over to the mattress like a hunter circling its prey. The bloodstained lips and crimson eyes only added to the effect, making her shudder where she lay. The way his eyes swept her over, she knew…he wanted to devour her completely.

It was only fair she gave him the same look, eyes lingering on his cock. It was thick, hard, and flushed, beaded with precum as he watched her squirm on the mattress. She needed it just as desperately as he needed her blood.

“Please, Louis.”

“Please _what?”_ He was on her in a flash, hips pinning her to the mattress as he stared down expectantly. He rutted against her when all she answered with was a gasp. “Use your words, omega.”

“I need more,” she begged, gasping as he clasped her wrists above her head before she could touch him.

“More _what?”_ His lips trailed her neck again, tongue curling on the last set of bite marks. It was already healing, but that didn’t mean it didn’t feel good. She arched up, turning her neck in a silent plea for him to bite her again. “Tell me how wet you are. How _ready_ you are.”

“I am. I’m ready, Louis, I’ve _been_ ready—”

“For what?”

“Your bite. Your cock. Whatever you’ll give me, _please._ I’m ready!”

He forced her legs wider apart, seemingly pleased with her plea. Or maybe he was just losing his own patience. His eyes were still hazy, like he wasn’t fully there anymore. All she could see clearly was a desire that mirrored her own.

His cock entered her in one swift stroke, burying himself to hilt without restraint. Ruts weren’t about foreplay, clearly, and he made that abundantly clear as he bit down on her neck again before she had even adjusted to the feel of him. She didn’t even have time to beg for more before he was already giving her exactly that, ravaging her body for his own pleasure.

_Fuck._

It was sensory overload, all at once. He thrust into her without restraint, the flow of her blood matching every stroke. He was so thick, stretching her in filthiest way as he took and took. Every hard thrust was a claim, over and over like he wanted to own her right up until her eyes were rolling back in her head.

His fangs retreated again as the pleasure began to build up, and she let out a whine in protest. Words were beyond her right now, especially as his pace picked up inside her. All she could focus on was the drag of his cock, pushing her closer to the edge and then pulling her back right before she could fall.

“Please—”

“You’ll have your release,” he promised, his lips covering her own in a possessive kiss. She couldn’t help clenching down around him as she tasted her own blood for the first time, earning a low moan from her alpha. “You feel even better than I imagined. So greedy for my cock.”

“Louis—”

A low growl cut her off, his thrusts becoming erratic. “So tight,” he groaned, savoring her lips between every word. Greedy, he’d called her—who knew what that made him in this moment? “I’m going to fill you completely. Mark you as my own.”

“I’m already yours.”

“Not like this.”

He kept thrusting, chasing his own release as he made filthy promises in her ear. What he wanted to do to her. How long he’d wanted to fuck and feed from her. How she’d smell when she was filled with his seed. How he wanted to drown her in his scent, inside and out. He left nothing out, every word causing her to clench down around him.

All she could answer with were broken moans. It was very nearly too much.

“Go ahead, omega. Take your release—cum on my cock.”

Their eyes locked for a moment, and just when she was sure she was about to see white, he bit down on her neck one last time and she saw _red_ instead.

Fuck.

The orgasm that hit her was shattering, unlike anything she had ever felt before. He kept feeding as he fucked her through it, his own cock twitching and bucking inside her as he came, too. He held her in place as he shot his load deep inside, only retracting his teeth when his alpha was fully sated.

“Fuck,” he groaned, echoing her sentiment as he seemed to be coming out of his haze. The red glow in his eyes was fading, and concern was gradually taking its place. “Are you okay?”

“More than okay.”

“You look beautiful like this,” Louis whispered, a hand trailing down the bite marks he’d left scattered on her neck. They’d heal before the day was done, but for now they were on display just for him. “Like you're mine.”

Her face flushed at the compliment, not quite sure how to respond. It was intimate, like this. He was still on her…still _in_ her, staring down in a way that could only be described as tender. It was almost impossible to believe this was the same man who had just thrown her down and fucked her largely for his own pleasure in the heat of the moment.

“Is it over?” she wondered.

“Not even close,” he admitted, scanning her features carefully. “Do you want to leave?”

“No.”

“We should make the most of the down time, then.”

She gasped as he slowly began to pull out of her, too distracted by the feel of his seed and her own slick trickling out of her to ask what exactly he meant by _that._


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is officially not how I envisioned this story going, soooo. Oops. Way off track here and slightly embarrassed by the whole fic, but it is what it is at this point. Sorry if it's not what you expected - it's not what I expected either! Hope you like it anyway.

Louis had an interesting idea of what ‘downtime’ meant between the waves of his bloodlust during his rut. It seemed to come and go every hour, and he gave her no time in between to catch her breath.

No, instead he worshipped her. All the things his hazy mind didn’t give him patience to do, he seemed set on doing. Not an inch of her body went unexplored, his fingers and tongue trailing every inch of her as he brought her to release after release. It was all about her, every time, like his own pleasure meant nothing.

And in between, he fucked and fed from her like his life depended on it. Revenants didn’t have much of a refractory period, especially not when they were on the brink of bloodlust. He took her mouth, her ass—anywhere he could fill her, he did, giving himself over to his own instincts. Apparently he meant it when he said he wanted to cover her in his scent, and she had a newfound appreciation for the term ‘inside and out’.

It was filthy, but it was also _everything._ How had they been around each other all these months without ever doing this?

“It should be over now,” Louis told her, tossing aside the damp towel he had cleaned her with after their most recent escapade. She just hummed in acknowledgement, curling up against him as he settled by her side. “Do you need anything?”

“Nope.”

“Do you want to shower?"

“Can we wait until morning?” she asked, not sure she’d even be able to stand.

No doubt he would hold her up and wash her body for her, his strong arms showing no signs of fatigue even now as he pulled her close, but honestly…As nice as it would feel to have his hands roaming her body again, she was enjoying this moment too much. There was something peaceful about lying in bed with him, completely unguarded.

“That’s fine,” Louis assured her, rubbing her arm gently. “Get some rest.”

Her eyes were already closed, the fatigue hitting her hard before she even realized just how drained she was.

\--

Louis still had to hold her up in the shower the next morning, take care as he washed her body like she was something delicate. It wasn’t about lust, even as she saw the desire in his eyes. His cock had been at attention before the water washed over them, but it was an afterthought this time.

The well-kept composure he always maintained was back.

He dressed himself quickly and efficiently—just enough to swing out of his room and go to hers to get her a fresh set of clothes. His eyes didn’t roam her body even once when she dropped her towel to change into them, unabashed after everything they had done the day before.

It wasn’t until she was fully clothed that he finished putting himself back together, strapping his vest on like he was already prepared for the next mission.

“So, this is it, then?” she asked, watching him from across the room with a frown.

“What do you mean?”

“We’re back to business now that the rut’s behind you?”

“Do you know why they call it a rut?”

“Um…no, not really.”

He smiled, just small enough for her to notice. “A rut is actually just a period of bloodlust, much like an omega’s heat. It’s not the technical term for either symptom, it’s just another thing people say to liken us to monsters. To animals.”

“But why?”

“Because when we give ourselves over to the bloodlust, it’s pleasurable. Most alphas can’t resist taking more, even if it’s not strictly necessary. Think of the arousal as a side effect—it hits hard, and when the person in your arms is feeling it as well…It’s only natural things escalate quickly.”

She blinked, already having heard as much from Yakumo, albeit in less detailed terms. “Why are you telling me this?”

“I’m telling you this because I need you to know. Blood is the only thing I needed from you in that haze. I would have frenzied without it,” Louis told her, his tone plain. “Everything else? It was what I wanted.”

“Because you lost control.”

“I don’t lose control.” He folded his arms across his chest, fixing her with a look. “I’ve been going to the shelter like clockwork since the Great Collapse. Not once did I cross that line, even when the pleasure was blinding.”

She swallowed hard, her face red as it hit her what he was saying. “This meant something to you, too.”

“Yes, it did. It still does. That doesn’t change the fact we have a mission to complete.”

“So, you just want me to gear up and head out like nothing happened?”

“I’m not asking you to forget, I’m asking you to wait.”

“I’ve never really been known for my patience. I’m not above begging, Louis.”

He smiled despite himself, crossing the room in several long strides until he was right in front of her. “I know. I remember your every plea.”

“Then you know I can’t just wait. I can’t pretend this never happened.”

“Don’t pretend. I don’t intend to either—in fact, I don’t intend to allow you out of this room for even a moment without my scent all over you,” he admitted, brushing a stray hair from the corner of her eyes as he moved in close. “Even a shower won’t wash it away completely.”

The thought made her shudder, and she couldn’t help but grin. “Yakumo’s going to give us a hard time, huh?”

“Definitely. They got back last night—I think even the betas heard the last few rounds.”

“None of them will let us live it down, then.”

“No, but that doesn’t change the facts. When we’re here, alone in my room? You’re _mine,_ in whatever capacity you’ll allow _._ When we step outside this room? We belong to everyone,” Louis reminded her carefully. “Not in the same manner, of course. We can’t lose sight of the bigger picture. There’s a job to be done, and we can’t afford to be distracted while we’re doing it.”

Right. Leave it to Louis to be so rational that she had no room to argue. She couldn’t even pout, already convinced that he was right. It was selfish to want to hang on his arm—to want to keep him to herself when they both belonged to everyone. They were both vital to the mission, and everyone was depending on their success.

One way or another, they’d make this broken world a better place. It was that shared belief that had drawn her to Louis in the first place.

“Will we be in your room often?” she asked, quirking a brow.

“Every night we spend in the base, if you’ll allow it.”

She hummed thoughtfully, a soft smile on her face when he ran his thumb over her lower lip. “I’m sure we can work something out, then.”

“Glad to hear it,” he murmured, giving her the soft kiss she had been too shy to ask for. “Do you need a day to recover? I drained a lot from you yesterday. More than I would’ve taken from any human.”

“It’s a good thing I’m not human, then.”

“No dizziness? Lightheadedness?”

“Not today,” she responded, smiling into his next kiss. She’d certainly been dizzy and lightheaded the night before, though she suspected it wasn’t due to blood loss. “I wouldn’t argue if you wanted to wait a few hours before headed out, but no more than that.”

“Rest, then. I have to finalize our plans anyway—I know where we’re going, but not the details of what it may entail.”

“Can you do that in here?”

He raised a brow, thinking it over as he held her gaze. “I can.”

A few minutes later, she was back in bed, curled up against him with her head on his chest. He had a book open in his hands, reading with the same focus that he never seemed to lose. It was nice, actually—being in his arms while he did something so typically Louis. Normally he would have done his work from his desk, hand on his chin as he skimmed through book after book for information.

It was almost like he had invited her into his world, in more ways than just one.

The questions and the worries seemed to fade from her mind as they laid there, a comfortable silence settling between them. Cruz. Their history. What she meant to him. It all _mattered,_ of course. Those memories were precious to Louis, and they had shaped him into the man he was today. The past didn’t change the present though, at least not in this case.

She belonged to him now, and while she wasn’t an alpha, she felt that same possessive flare shot through her as she realized that meant he belonged to her as well. After all this time, he was hers. There was no need to doubt that anymore.

“Will you let me feed from you when the time comes?” she wondered, curious. “When the bloodlust hits me?”

“Yes.”

She laughed softly. “You don’t even have to think about it?”

“What’s there to think about? It’s not as if I’d let you drink from another revenant instead.”

“It’s just strange to imagine you surrendering control like that.”

“It felt nice, didn’t it?” Louis countered, raising a brow when she didn’t nod right away. They both knew it felt nice, but what he didn’t seem to understand was that it was a helpless kind of nice. “I have no reason to object, then.”

“I couldn’t move, when you were feeding from me. It was just…”

“I felt it, too. It’s a rush of sensations—different on my side but overwhelming nonetheless.”

She nodded in acknowledgement, her fangs almost itching with curiosity as she thought it over. Blood just wasn’t a big deal to her. The hunger for it never hit her the same way it hit the others, and while the beads were satisfying when she _did_ have to sustain herself…

The idea of drinking Louis’ blood was far more appealing.

“It may not be a terrible idea to take it now,” Louis told her, leveling her with a gaze.

“What?”

“You feel fine now, but your body has never experienced the kind of drain it had yesterday. Omegas in particular don’t heal as quickly as other revenants. Taking an alpha’s blood would help expedite your recovery.”

Alpha blood was of little interest to her, but _his_ blood? The idea of sharing Louis’ blood did something to her that she didn’t quite understand, the knowing smile on his face acting as a reassurance that she wasn’t alone in that thought.

He was curious too, it seemed, and he set his book down without pause when she moved to straddle his waist. His hands were on her hips before she could blink, holding her in place as flashes of the previous night hit her in waves. His grip on her hips had been bruising…There wasn’t a single mark left marring her skin, but the memory had imprinted itself in her mind.

Her hands traveled up his chest, not quite sure where to begin. “Do I have to take it from your neck?”

“I have no preference.”

“Hmm,” she hummed, leaning down over him and kissing his neck experimentally. It was nice, she thought, being the one to initiate contact like this. Louis seemed willing to let her do as she pleased with him, at least for now. She continued to lay her trail, moving upward toward his jaw before he turned into her and stole a kiss of his own. “That’s not fair. You said I was in charge.”

“I don’t recall saying anything of the sort.”

She nipped at his lower lip, not bothering to admit her was right. He seemed to take it as an invitation to continue kissing her, taking his time to indulge himself. His tongue slipped into her mouth, and she met it eagerly, enjoying the relaxed pace just as much as the hard and fast pace from the night before.

She didn’t realize she had started grinding down on him until he groaned into her mouth. Fuck. He was hardening quickly, hips bucking up as she rolled her own one more time.

“I thought you wanted my blood,” he teased.

“Is that all you’re offering after all I gave you?”

“I’d give you a lot more than that, if it would make you happy.”

He rutted up against her, a pointed promise of how serious he was. Of how much he wanted her, even outside of the bloodlust. The knowledge sent a shiver down her spine, feeling emboldened as she brought their lips back together.

To her surprise, he slowed it down this time, his hand trailing her jaw before breaking the kiss.

“Trust me?” Louis asked, thumbing over her lower lip. His eyes were dark, hooded in a way she recognized from the night before without that same red glow. She nodded her head. “Good.”

Her eyes went wide as he pushed his thumb into her mouth, staring at her expectantly as he grazed one of her fangs. She closed her mouth around it, already getting a sense of what he had in mind.

“That’s right,” he whispered, rumbling in approval as her tongue swirled around his finger in anticipation.

He grazed over the fang once more, this time with purpose. The taste of his blood was on her tongue before she was ready for it, decadent in a way that she could only describe as _Louis._ It filled her senses in a way she hadn’t expected, her body hyperaware of what was happening. It felt just as good as it tasted, a craving hitting her unlike anything she had ever experienced.

And then it stopped, right when it was getting good. She grumbled her protest, much to his amusement.

“I heal quickly,” Louis reminded her, breaking the skin again just long enough for her to get a second taste. “The neck is nice because it’s an easy spot to keep the blood flowing—there’s a major artery right there. Other places though? You have to work for it, depending on where you pick. Let me help you.”

She gasped as he pressed a little harder, breaking the skin on the pad of his thumb against her fang again. This time she nipped at it again before the wound could close, moaning around his thumb as his blood began to flow more freely this time.

It wasn’t enough to fill her mouth or even for Louis to lose control the way she had the night before, but it was still _good._ So damn good, better than any blood bead she had ever tried. A nagging voice in her head wondered if that was because it was revenant blood, but in her heart she knew—it was satisfying because it was _Louis._

She sucked the wound clean before creating it all over again, enjoying every hard-earned gasp she got from the revenant beneath her as she got her fill one small puncture at a time. Fuck, she wished they had all day to indulge each other, unrushed and undistracted.

That wasn’t their reality though. Not today. Not yet.

“Louis,” she whimpered, licking his thumb clean one last time before she couldn’t stand it anymore.

She surged down, pressing their lips together again as his hand snuck into his hair and held her there. His other was still on her hip, guiding her back and forth as she rutted against his hard cock. It really wasn’t fair how good he was at all of this, knowing exactly what she needed before she had any idea.

Never in her life had she been so glad to be wearing a skirt, hiking it up further around her waist as her patience finally snapped. Her panties were soaked, the pressure between her legs begging for relief. His hands moved like he knew exactly what she was thinking, pushing it further up and cupping her ass.

Her hands were between them before she could think, unfastening his pants in a hurry.

“That’s it,” he growled into her mouth, her kiss growing frantic with anticipation. “Let me feel you.”

She pulled his cock free as they kissed, not nearly patient enough to remove his pants entirely. No, right now she just needed what he needed—to feel him, hot and hard against her. His hand was already pushing her panties aside, circling her clit as she rubbed her wetness along his length. She kept grinding against him like that, moaning against his lips as the pressure built inside of her.

“Don’t stop,” Louis commanded, like he could read her mind. Like he knew she was going to shift and let him sink right into her—to keep going with the same motions, at the same pace, but with his cock filling her instead. It felt good like this, taking her pleasure by rubbing against him, but it just wasn’t the same as when he had been in her. “Just like that.”

“I need more,” she begged.

“Take more, then.”

His thumb was on her lips again, this time slick with her own wetness as she took it into her mouth. He groaned appreciatively as her tongue circled it, their eyes locked like they were imagining the same thing. She broke the skin again, sucking the blood from the wound and moaning all the while. Her hips never stopped moving, Louis’ other hand assuring that.

He was _everywhere,_ guiding her movements, guiding her pleasure as she took what she wanted from. His hands were on her, _in_ her, making her acutely aware of just who was really taking the lead this time. As good as it felt to initiate things, she didn’t doubt for a moment that she had surrendered to him at some point. If she hadn’t, his cock would have been inside her by now instead of twitching beneath her.

Just a little more.

She chased her orgasm, knowing that was exactly what he wanted—to see her come undone just from the feel of his cock against her. Who was she to disappoint him?

One final drag up his cock was all it took for her to fall apart, fresh blood on her tongue as it washed over her. He had her flipped onto her back before she could come down from the high, finally fucking into her again with a moan.

“You don’t know what you do to me,” he whispered, slamming into her all the while.

“You keep saying that…Why don’t you show me? Show me what I do to you.”

An unrestrained growl was his answer, and she knew in that moment. The whole rut thing? It was just the tip of the iceberg when it came to how much Louis had been holding back when it came to her.

\--

Their day to day didn’t change drastically after that. Outside of Louis’ room, they were back to business, albeit their blossoming relationship was no secret to the team. The intricacies of it were just for the two of them, saved for the moments when they were truly alone.

Unfortunately, those moments weren’t a daily occurrence.

The mission was always there, guiding them from one path to the next as they tried to reach their goal together. Their friends stood by their side, fighting fiercely to get the job done because they all knew just how important it was. Louis had their buy in before she had even met the group, and that didn’t change either.

Louis remained their composed alpha leader while she remained at his side on every mission, using her powers to help guide the way at every opportunity. They were partners, in the field and at base. She liked it that way, even on the days when she got a _little_ exasperated by his insistence that he had to tag along even on the restocking missions.

It wasn’t like the Lost still targeted her at every turn, which Yakumo liked to point out at every opportunity.

“It’s almost like the Lost don’t smell you anymore,” Yakumo teased, winking at her when Louis wasn’t looking. He had his nose in a book, as usual, while she was over at the bar with Yakumo wishing she could enjoy the cup of sake in front of her like she did in her human days. “Why do you think that is?”

She shrugged, nonchalant. “I guess I finally perfected my sneak attack.”

“Did you though? Or did someone else perfect their—”

“Yakumo,” Louis interjected, fixing him with a look from his desk. “Don’t finish that sentence.”

“It was gonna be a compliment.”

“I don’t need your compliments.”

“Hey, weren’t you the one who told me overconfidence’ll get someone killed?”

“That doesn’t exactly pertain to this situation,” Louis sighed, much to Yakumo’s amusement. “You’re making my mate uncomfortable.”

“Mates, huh? Is that what you’re calling each other now?”

“What else would we call it?” Louis countered, sparing a smile just for her as the blush spread across her cheeks. “Now enough with the scent jokes. If she smells like me, then _good,_ she’s supposed to.”

“Louis,” she squawked, stunned.

 _These_ were the moments where she remembered a lot of things had changed afterall.

The times when Louis made public declarations about their relationship—unabashed, like he was proud to call her his own. It made her feel warm inside, but there was something embarrassing about it every time he chose to declare it so bluntly.

“Come here,” he said, gesturing for her to come to his desk. “I want to show you something.”

Yakumo groaned. “Oh, come on! Let her finish her drink before you drag her off.”

Louis just shrugged, letting her know it was up to her. As if there were really a choice, though. As much as she adored her friend, there was very little that could keep her away when Louis requested her presence. She raised her glass to Yakumo, clinking it with his before downing it in one go—it wasn’t like drunkenness was a thing for revenants anyway. Then she was off to her mate, sitting on the edge of his desk at his request as he handed her a book.

Huh. She scanned a few lines, realizing in a hurry exactly how they were going to get to their next destination. There was always some kind of puzzle in their way. “Did you mark the map?”

“Not yet. What do you think?”

“It’s not too late to head out today if we go now.”

“I was thinking tomorrow,” Louis responded, taking the book from her and closing it. “We have some preparations to complete.”

Yakumo snorted loudly from the bar where Coco had joined him. They were both laughing, presumably at _them,_ but she didn’t care—not when Louis was looking at her so fondly. Nothing else really mattered when he was looking at her like that.

“So, these _preparations,”_ she started, trying her best to keep a straight face. Louis always made that look so easy, but it wasn’t. “Do they involve any special training?”

“Very special training. It may take hours.”

Bless him for playing along, composed as ever even as their friends were laughing at their shameless excuse to sneak away.

Whatever. They didn’t get to spend every night back at the base, but when they did? Louis always made sure to keep his promise. She was _his_ the moment they entered his room, and he was hers. The walls came down when they were in that room, whether that meant venting about how stressful things were getting, or just laying there on the bed together in silence as they each processed something that had happened. Sometimes it meant he would fuck her senseless until they both forgot everything other than each other, and other times it meant taking things soft and slow until they both understood just how much they were cherished by the other.

As far as she was concerned, it didn’t really matter what they would be doing. She would _always_ jump at the chance to run off to his room whenever he gave the indication he was ready, and right now his false blank expression said it all.

“We should probably start now,” she suggested, sliding off his desk.

He was by her side before she could take a step away, as close to her side as he would be on any mission. They barely made it a step inside before his lips were on hers.

“They’re making bets,” Louis told her between kisses, and she could see he was fighting a smirk. “Yakumo thinks it’ll only be five minutes before we hit the bed.”

“That’s his loss then. We didn’t even make it to the bed last time.”

“He’s grumbling now—says we’re cheating because I’m eavesdropping.”

“Stop eavesdropping, then.”

He laughed into her lips, the walls slowly coming down as he relaxed in her arms. “I missed this.”

It had been more than a week since their last night in the base, and while they were always together in the field, it really wasn’t the time or place for anything intimate. There was just too much at stake to lose focus for even a single night.

“Are you sure we can afford to wait until tomorrow?”

“Yeah,” Louis assured her. “They need this just as badly as we do.”

“What do you mean?”

“Things are only getting more challenging from here on out. Mia’s already burnt out—Jack, too. He’s been apart from Eva too long,” Louis explained slowly. “I need everyone to relax for a minute before we go back out.”

“I guess even Yakumo needs a day off sometimes.”

“He’d never admit it, but yeah. So, let’s let them have tonight.”

“And us? What do we get to have?”

“Honestly?” Louis murmured, pulling away and meeting her gaze. “I’m tired, too.”

She nodded in understanding, too aware that she had been pushing herself a lot lately as well. Things really were getting difficult. Logically she knew they would be fine—so long as they all kept at it together, they’d get the job done.

That didn’t mean they should pass up on these opportunities to rest though. Louis was right.

“Let’s lie down,” she decided, moving right over to the bed.

It took all of two seconds for the fatigue to catch up with her as she laid down, Louis’ bed far too comfortable—she always felt most secure when she was there, with his firm arms keeping her close to him. It took a couple minutes before he joined her, her eyes already closed as sleep threatened to come too soon. He had stripped off his vest and shed his pants, she realized, spooning up behind her like he intended to sleep as well.

“Louis?” she started, rolling over to face him before he fell asleep. His eyes were already drooping, but he met her gaze patiently. She wasn’t expecting them to be red—burning red rather than the soft crimson he usually bore. “Do you need blood?”

He quirked a brow. “I had a blood bead two hours ago. I'd rather taste you though, if you're offering.”

“Your eyes…”

“Yours too,” he told her with a small smile. “They were like this the day we met. I still see it from time to time, when our eyes meet.”

“Yours too. I thought I was imagining it.”

“I’m not surprised,” Louis said with a shrug. “It’s unavoidable, really.”

“I don’t understand. Isn’t it a sign of bloodlust?”

“Bloodlust, yes. Bloodlust and desire aren’t so different though,” he said slowly. “I would've been more surprised if you said mine _weren't_ glowing on the day we met."

“You desired me on that day?”

He paused, looking torn for a moment before he finally admitted, “Your scent…It took everything I had in me to keep a safe distance that day.”

“Why would my eyes glow?”

“You don’t have to be an alpha to have instincts. Something inside you was drawn to me that day,” Louis told her, like it was so simple. “You’re usually pretty good about keeping your instincts at bay, but it slips through from time to time. Especially when you’re too tired to fight it, like right now.”

“You know, I think I’ve read something about this in one of your books.”

“Mm, it’s possible,” Louis said. “I have a few books on the subject. I think one of them referred to it as a sign of compatibility.”

“A sign you’ve met your soul mate,” she corrected with a whimsical smile. She had thought it was ridiculous at the time, but looking at his tired gaze right now and seeing the unbridled desire in them…Maybe it wasn’t such a silly story. “Do you think that’s possible?”

“I can only say what I feel. What I know.”

“And what’s that?”

“There’s no one I desire more than you.”

As she stared into his eyes, her own mirroring them back with a soft glow, she knew in her heart she felt the same.


End file.
